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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Bottling Big Batch of Cider

Remember the big batch of cider I made? Well, the yeast gods have spoken and that batch of cider is in bottles and getting ready to drink. It was so great having the large fermenter from Lord Stilton to get the big batch down and fermenting. I have made several small batches, 5 litres and less, since we've been here, but those just don't last long enough to get a good supply going. It is easy to go through 5 litres in a couple of weekends with two people, even though that sounds like a lot. Think about a few bottles of wine with two wine-lovers in four weeks. Would that be enough for them? Difficult.

Anyway, the big batch of cider has finished fermenting and is in bottles. I got a great yield from the batch, and I am still collecting clean plastic soda bottles to help expand my bottling capacity. I had to bottle the last 4.5ish litres in my water jug (formerly fermenter) just to get everything out of the bucket. This isn't a bad problem to have, of course.

In another week or so, the bottles will be carbonated and ready to enjoy like delicious apple champange (shut up, Foodies! I know I can't call it Champagne, that's why I didn't capitalize it!)

Nice haul for about 14 Euros, that will make about 40 pints of cider to enjoy before the next batch is ready. I hope we can make it until the next batch is ready...

[Edit] 17 December, 2013- About halfway through this batch. The flavor and carbonation are great for what we used. I am looking forward to using some real cider yeast (which is already in) for the next batch. Turbo yeast makes a pretty dry cider without the nice apple tartness I used to get with the champagne yeast back in Iowa. Still, no complaints here!